Alternative Postcards From New York

When I say alternative I really mean images that aren’t the typical scenic images from the Big Apple, although there are a few in here that are. It’s probably just an excuse for my bad photography but I wasn’t disposed to take my postcard shots of familiar sights. These are from a few years ago when my friend Lisa had a birthday and I decided to treat her to a trip to New York. Thus my main focus was not to take photos but to ensure that she had a great time (she did). These are here because I was looking for an image that someone wanted for a canvas and stumbled upon a few others that I thought would serve as filler content.

New York is, of course, a heaving, congested and sprawling metropolis where sunlight barely lances through the crowded monoliths of steel and concrete. People are in a hurry, and I mean in a hurry. Coffee in one hand, phone in the other, they shove en masse through the seemingly invisible tourists that clamber onto the sidewalks. (I’m not complaining; London is much the same). Traffic is one continuous arterial sclerosis, each grand avenue congealed with a writhing mass of honking taxis and screaming sirens.

Luckily, a friend in the NYPD picked us up from our hotel and managed to part the gridlock like Moses and the Red Sea. Amazing what a siren can do. He delivered us to the terminal from where an old, orange ferry laboured across the water to drop us at Liberty Island. The Ellis Island Immigration Museum was a worthy distraction, nestled in the shadow of an elegant lady inviting poor, tired and huddled masses.

I’m not one for looking up skirts but compositionally this was pretty balanced.Joseph Pulitzer’s craggy and wrinkled clothes seemed to fit in with the dendritic lattice in his background.

Back in Manhattan, Madison Avenue was overtaken by an apparent parade celebrating Iranian culture. Beautiful women danced and twirled in the street to the accompaniment of the NYPD marching band. Entertaining and surprising in equal measure it was an unexpected treat, and not only for seeing a Manhattan avenue devoid of traffic.

Naturally Alpha Whiskey gets a wave and a smile :)

We trundled through Central Park, enjoying what was left of the blossom while washing a cheap hot dog down our gullets. The Park is a vast open space teeming with lovers and joggers, students and skateboarders, all ages and all creeds.

Further on from the Park is the Metropolitan Museum, to where another native friend managed to secure us some VIP passes, giving us access to every exhibit. When Indiana Jones said it belongs in a museum he must have been talking about this place.

Surely not the Welsh Red Dragon? ;)Majolica porcelain (I think).

The same friend also got us a pass to the Bronx Zoo, whose impressively large spaces belie the fact that it is contained within a metropolitan area. Took us a while to navigate through it.

And if aquatic life is more your thing, you could do worse than the New York Aquarium at Coney Island, Brooklyn.

Like any city, there are no shortage of street artists and musicians, enticing passing tourists to bathe in the nostalgia of breakdancing and body-popping. How I miss the 80s.

For the sunset we ascended to the top of the Rockefeller building to enjoy the views across the skyline, awash in the glow of crepuscular light.

Later on, Time Square was darker than my preferred dusk blue but nevertheless it was hard not to be impressed with the frenzy of lights and entertainment. A street photographer’s paradise there’s plenty of activity to feast on.

Now, you wouldn’t expect Alpha Whiskey to visit a large city and not shoot its skyline. So, the following evening my friends took Lisa and I to Brooklyn to marvel at the view while I reeled off a few quick shots.

A great time with dear friends in a bustling city, hopefully this gives you slightly more intimate and alternative snapshot. These were processed to reflect the vibrancy of the city in a way that I wish to remember it. Former New York Senator Robert F. Kennedy said that “Some men see things as they are and ask why; I dream of things that never were and ask why not.” Thus I suppose I intend to reveal the potential of a place rather than simply capture what’s there. I realise that some prefer the latter to the former.

Well, I found the image I was looking for so I’m off to get this canvas made. Bye.

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About Alpha Whiskey

Alpha Whiskey has pursued his enjoyment of photography both at home in the UK and overseas, capturing scenic views from Alaska to Bulgaria, from Iceland to California. He has pointed his camera and trained his eye at almost every subject, from wildlife to architecture, from portraits to landscapes, from the Red Bull X-Fighters to the Northern Lights. His photographs have been published on the covers of national publications and within media for the National Trust. His blog is a growing library of images from his travels, excursions, and his photowalks with friends, and he hopes that by sharing them he can encourage others to worry less about gear and simply go out and shoot.

Reader Interactions

Comments

These are pretty much typical N.Y. snapshots, except for the extreme tilt left in some of them. But unlike all other photographers, Alpha can reveal the potential of a place, AND get the girl at the same time.

Other than the annoyance of referring to yourself in the Third Person I enjoyed these snapshots. Especially since I’ve never visited New York. And as a bonus I got to see the words “dendritic” and “crepuscular” used in the same article.

I don’t think these are to be judged to the same standards as your recent contribution from Croatia, but they were certainly interesting. I really like the image of the two ladies in the parade. The one on the left appears to be enjoying the moment, but what is going through the mind of the one on the right? My favourite is the shot following the Hans Christian Andersen statue. I’ve been gripped before byu the contrast between natural forms and the concrete canyons, and this shot speaks directly to that. Thank you. PS. Your “enemy” appears even more childish than the last time. Ignore!”

Gorgeous, and not just the photographs. The writing style, the succinct use of comprehensive words was a pleasure in itself and the pictures were superb. After a long time, I have come across good prose. Thank you.

Comment Policy: Although our team at Photography Life encourages all readers to actively participate in discussions, we reserve the right to delete / modify any content that does not comply with our Code of Conduct, or do not meet the high editorial standards of the published material.

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